“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace……” Colossians 3:15
Have you ever been through times when your mind was swirling with thoughts and emotions that filled you with anxiety? We all know what it’s like to battle with stressful thoughts and emotions during times of trouble. The good news is that we don’t have to surrender to those kinds of mental attacks. The verse above provides us with a God-given strategy that can change our lives. Understanding the three elements in the first phrase of this verse can equip us to experience God’s supernatural peace in our lives.
The first element is the decision. The word ‘let’ indicates that we must decide to allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. As with many other aspects of our relationship with the Lord, we must choose to align ourselves with God’s Word to experience his blessing. The Lord will not force his will upon us, because he allows us to exercise ‘free-will.’
The second element is the definition. When we read the word ‘peace’ our minds typically think of being in a state of tranquility and calmness. Those concepts line up with the English word peace. But, as usual, we find that there is more treasure under the surface as we dig into the original language. The word ‘peace’ in this verse is the Greek word eirene, which is defined as one, peace, quietness and rest. You may wonder why the word ‘one’ is in the definition. The reason is that in the Greek, this term comes from a root word that means “to join or tie together into a whole.” This speaks of the “wholeness” that occurs when all the essential parts of something are joined together in unity.
The third element is the description. Once again, there is a treasure of truth waiting to be discovered in the original language in which the New Testament was written. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to use a specific word in this verse that paints a picture of how the peace of God can rule in our lives. The Greek word for ‘rule’ in this verse is brabeuo, which means “to act as an umpire in the games.” In the sports world, umpires exercise a great deal of authority. They arbitrate, moderate and influence the outcomes of athletic competitions in alignment with the rules of the game. Umpires ‘make the call’ in a conflict between opposing forces and often decide which one wins.
So, how does this apply to our lives? We must choose to allow the peace of mind and wholeness that comes from Christ to ‘make the call’ when there are opposing forces battling in our minds. Those opposing forces can be— God’s truth, Satan’s lies and our own thoughts and emotions. Worry and anxiety will be defeated and peace and wholeness will flow when we consistently choose to allow the peace of Christ to “rule” in our hearts.
